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Dolphins linebacker Karlos Dansby has always set high goals for himself.

Dansby said earlier this year that he feels he’s earned consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame when his career is done, and that he can fortify those credentials if he can achieve 20 sacks and 20 interceptions, a combination not many players have achieved (by comparison, Jason Taylor had 139.5 sacks but only nine interceptions, while Zach Thomas …

There was no greeting or salutation when Jamie Dukes answered the phone. Just this: “I have no earthly idea what’s going on.”

Dukes, an NFL Network analyst, has watched the Dolphins’ missteps this offseason from afar and, like a large percentage of the fan base, can’t figure out what manual GM Jeff Ireland, owner Stephen Ross and coach Joe Philbin are working from.

Yesterday, the sports talk conversation was dominated by one topic – which team is the front-runner to sign Peyton Manning?

The off-shore gambling sites and many media outlets – including this one – consider the Dolphins and Cardinals as the favorite to sign Manning, with the Seahawks, Redskins, Jets and possibly Browns also in the hunt.

All the Dolphin news surrounding this week’s coaching change means we won’t have a feature on the upcoming opponent, the Buffalo Bills, for readers this week. So we’ll catch up with the team that will be trying to break a six-game losing streak Sunday against Miami in our Thursday morning talking points:

1. Running back Fred Jackson, who was knocked out for the season in the last Dolphins-Bills game Nov. 20, …

For the first time since the 1-15 season in 2007, the Dolphins face up to playing meaningless games the next two weeks. But they’re anything but meaningless to two men at the top of the organization, which is where we start our talking points for Monday:

1. GM Jeff Ireland and coach Tony Sparano have a lot at stake the next two weeks.

Certainly seems our plea for everyone to get past the Sal Alosi shenanigans fell on deaf ears, with Alosi himself assuring Wednesday it plays out a little longer. Sorry, but like Dolphins coach Tony Sparano, we’re on to other things. Hey, it’s Buffalo week.

1. Chan Gailey is doing his best to stir up a rivalry that has gotten pretty tame in recent years.